Governing bodies must make changes

Football's national and international governing bodies are no longer in the best position to confront many of the problems that confront them.

Corruption, money laundering, match-fixing and other difficulties can be dealt with effectively if authority is clearly defined, according to UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson. The status and independence of football's governing bodies has to be recognised by law and must be provided with the necessary means of handling the transgressions.

Olsson also believes the Independent European Sport Review, initiated by the sports ministers of the EU's five key member states in cooperation with UEFA and FIFA is an important step in this direction. It concludes in favour of sports being accorded a special, independent status and supports the European sport model. It also recommends complete cooperation between sports authorities and governments, and appropriate consultation with all stakeholders being a part of the decision making process.

Even though some aspects of the review still lend themselves to discussion, it is important they move ahead without delay and the review becoming a reality soon so sports will no longer live under the permanent threat of civil lawsuits, Olsson writes.

The organisations, according to Olsson, must do what they can to convince the politicians of the review's recommendations. The national associations also must talk to their sports ministers, governments and EU representatives.

It is time that a legal framework exist, which will allow sports to operate according to its own values and to fully assume its social role, Olsson concluded.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.